Kartazia/Church
"There is One Truth, There is One Life, There is One Power. One Power to guide us, One Life to free us, One Truth to light the way. In countless lives we thrive, On boundless joy we are free, Unto the One we return. Beginning verses of the Book of the Herald. The Church of Eyon Dawren, Herald of Heavens is the oldest, most influential single organization of all Kartazia. Founded by Kalindra Dawren, his lover, wife and disciple, the Church became the focus of unification on the first days of the Kartazian continent, and continues to serve as a source of spiritual inspiration and personal counseling to individuals of all social classes. Most of Kartazia's developments are sure to find their roots in the Church's frequent stimulation of creative thought and individual growth. The center of Kartazian religion is mount Avernon, who remains airborne at the heart of the continent and prevented from floating away by gigantic chains which anchor it. Right below mount Avernon is the city of Neos, capital of Ozandria: the Church lands. As a landowner, the Church possesses a secular branch and an ecclesiastical branch. The Secular branch, in spite of its name, is composed of church officials who perform various administrative duties over the state of Ozandria. The ecclesiastical branch is composed of the often-known church officials who spread and keep the word and work of Eyon Dawren. =Hierarchy= There are 8 hierarchical levels within the Church of the Herald, each can be acquired by a character for 5 character points per level as "Church Status": * 0 - Novice :::Novices are newly accepted Church members who are still proving their worth to become one of Dawren's soldiers against wickedness. They are usually set to perform menial tasks and mot of their free time is spent studying the scriptures (Theology skill) and perfecting their mind in at least one of the "seven golden arts" of the church: Philosophy, Mathematics, Music, Thaumatology, Demon Lore, Physiology and Psychology. They are the most numerous of Church members, and most are content on remaining novices all their life. Novices do get free housing and food, enjoy clerical privileges like any other Church officials, and have the fewer responsibilities. Novices are also tasked with the instruction of children, as the church strives to spread literacy through the continent. * 1 - Cleric ::: Clerics are church officials who have authority to perform mass and counsel the flock. They are the soldiers whose task is to bring the word of the Herald to all corners of the world. They are also expected to continue their studies in Theology and in the seven golden arts. * 2 - Concillar :::These are the lowest of high-ranking officials who carry out a great number of tasks. Most church-trained mages are Concillars, as this is the status in which they all graduate. Concillars also form the bulk of the administrative body of the church. Ecclesiastical concillars are tasked with administering the parochies of several clerics and only occasionally perform mass, usually when there is no cleric available to do so and a new one has not yet been chosen. * 3 - High-Concillar :::A High-Concillar is responsible for a great number of Concillars and an even greater number of clerics. The church's elite agents are also High-Concillars. A High-Concillar is expected to be a master of at least one of the seven golden arts, and an active tutor of this art to others. A high-concillar mage is supposed to know many dozen spells, and usually be a master of healing arts. * 4 - Chosen :::The chosen are true paragons of their craft, usually one of the seven golden arts, or in a school of magic. They are the keepers of Church's knowledge and wield great power over all inferior hierarchical layers. They are the highest hierarchy where it is acceptable for an official to have "personal time" and carry out "personal matters". They have access to all of the church's secrets (but for a few), can establish and command missions in the name of the Church, and are supposed to be ever vigilant in the battle against demonic forces. * 5 - Dominar :::In this hierarchical level, a Church official's life is entirely devoted to the cause of Eyon Dawren. Most Dominars live in Ozandria caring for the big-picture aspects of the Church. In the secular body, they are ministers and governors. * 6 - Hierophant :::The hierophant are masters of Theology, those to whom the word of Eyon Dawren carries no mystery. They form the Council of Heavens which decides upon all church matters and presents their laws and rules for the Archdeacons to approve. One of them is elected every ten years as "First Secular", and is the de-facto ruler of Ozandria. * 7 - The 5 Archdeacons, rulers of the Church. :::The 5 Archdeacons carry almost the same responsibilities as the Hierophants, but their is the power to veto any decision from the Council of Heavens. They are known to decide upon matters by consensus, which takes all of their time in endless discussions until unanimity is achieved among them. Some times they also present new rules and proclamations, but when they do, they do so as Hierophants, and these laws go through their usual process of approval. =Religious Status= All members of the Church possess a special status within Kartazian society. That must be noted in the character sheet as "Religious Status", worth 10 character points. It is, in fact, a mix of both "status" and "reputation". Church members always have a place to stay and food to drink. The possession of a "Vixen" (the Church's religious symbol) and the Blue Robes which identify priests is enough to get free housing and food on any lodging, for whatever time it takes. All Church officials also have a +2 reputation with the bulk of population, and are mainly exempt from robberies or theft when walking Kartazia's big cities. Church members have a reputation for honesty and for passing impartial judgment, and the church holds their members to these values. A member of the church can only be judged by an ecclesiastical tribunal, but their punishments are known to be extremely severe. =Playing with a member of the Church: 5 points= Players who intend to play with a member of the Church of the Herald must pay for the following template: * Religious Status: 10 points. * Church Status: if applicable. * Disciple of Faith: -5 points. =The tenets of the Church= It is a known fact that Eyon Dawren never demanded a specific behavior from his followers, but always stimulated them to look at life with impartial, impersonal eyes. However, Kalindra Dawren found it very hard to establish a unified Church over those precepts, and created the core nucleus of the Church's moral code out of the essence of her husband's teachings. These became the five fundamental tenets of the church, held to this day by all of their members. It is because the tenets are five that one of the church's symbol is the circumscribed pentagram, and why this symbol is of such effectiveness in imprisoning demons: * 1. "As you received, so shall you give": Charity. :::Eyon Dawren always went out of his way to instruct others, to care for people and to help those in need wherever we could. His closest disciples often told that he would gather them and ask: "Where can we go to help more people? Who do you think that needs us the must?". Kalindra said: "All tenets are equal, but if one should be chosen above the other, that should be Charity, for Charity lifts the spirit, opens up our hearts and begets all other virtues". It is because of this tenet that the Church took it upon itself to instruct all population, teach children to read and write from an early age, teach offices to youths and give food freely for those in need. This tenet, more than any other, is the sole responsible for the reputation that the Church acquired. * 2. "Perfection leads to freedom": Diligence. :::Eyon Dawren often demanded from his followers excellency in a field of knowledge - any field would do, but he was never content on being "good", or even "exemplary", he said that only the best at something are heard, and to be heard by the masses, their followers would have to excell at their craft, whatever that was. Kalindra established the existence of the seven golden arts, which, along with Theology, compose fundamental expertises required for the building of a healthy society. Church members are expected to be the best at a craft, any craft will do, but the seven golden arts are cherished above others. Contentment should be avoided, and one should always strive to overcome its own limitations. * 3. "Glory is an illusion": Humility. :::Eyon Dawren said: "I am not the light, I am but its herald". If the greatest man to ever step on Kartazia took no merit on what he did, neither should any of his followers. Personal glory is an illusion which brings about many, gruesome vices that have to be avoided at all costs. Glory is an illusion, and to be closer to the Herald, one must make a daily effort in humility. It is necessary that Eyon's followers do great things, but more necessary is that they never accept the glory that their work brings, for they do so in the name of the heavens, and without it, they would be nothing. * 4. "Acceptance of Wisdom brings Wisdom itself": Obedience. :::Everybody has a limit. No matter how knowledgeable, how experienced or old, nobody knows everything. Therefore, we are all prone to mistakes, and acts which lack in wisdom. TO those who intend to achieve true Wisdom, it is necessary to accept the wisdom of those who can see beyond ourselves and follow their lead. No orders should be followed blindly, but there is also a measure of trust that must be taken into account: trust that we may not yet understand all of the reasons behind a specific determination, but that one day we will, if we accept Wisdom where it can be found. Our intelligence should be used not to question Wisdom, once found, but to try an ascertain where it lies. * 5. "Actions forge the spirit": Courage. :::Knowing is not enough. Studying is not enough. It is necessary to act. Learning about Truth is nothing. Acting with regards to Truth, that is everything. To act in accordance to what we know is right takes Courage, but these are the actions that forge the spirit. We become what we do. Our thoughts, our desires, our inner wishes, they do not define us. Our actions alone to that. If a person is to be truly called a disciple of Eyon Dawren, it is in the correctedness of his actions that he must persevere. Culture, social standing, magical power, material possessions... all that comes second. =The One Path= Eyon Dawren taught his followers about the One Path, the way that will lead us back into the One Power, where we may experience Eternal Bliss. It is said that all Church members follow the One Path, but in fact, it should be said that they are supposed to follow the Path. Only a person knows if he is truly following the One Path, and rewards do not usually come in respect to that. Nevertheless, the Path is real, it can be followed, and it does bear fruit. Awakening: 10 points The first step in the One Path, and usually the most difficult one, is the Awakening. The birth of the consciousness which can discern Truth without veils. To achieve awakening, one must have a balanced mind. Only a mind devoid of prejudices can hope to be able to discern Truth from illusion. Preconceptions, either for "good" or "bad" are a mask which prevents correct discernment. To be a candidate for awakening, a character cannot have any sort of mental disadvantage. Before purchasing the "Awakened" advantage, a character must be free of any preconceived idea. and able to think clearly at all times. Those that awaken can thread the One Path, a path of virtue which leads to true Power: power over oneself. Character's with the "awakened" advantage can purchase the "virtue" advantages. These advantages grant various edges to the character, but they only work while the character is "awakened". If he, for any reason, acquires new mental disadvantages, he will lose the benefits of his virtues (though the advantage itself is not gone: he will get these benefits again if he loses the mental disadvantage). The One Path is composed of 10 virtues: Faith: 5 points per level :Faith is the unwavering certainty in Justice, in a greater power, in the One Love. Faith strengthens hope and eases the worries that are natural of one's mind. Faith leads us through the way and prevents us from falling, it is assuredness, it is safety, it is self confidence all in one, just as it is humility, for Faith is also the deliverance of one's best to a higher force. :Faith warps reality and causes destiny to conform with one's interests. For every level of this virtue, once per game session, a character can re-roll any die roll that he makes. He can also choose to use this virtue to re-roll only one or two dice of a given die roll. Acceptance: 15 points :Acceptance is at the root of understanding and comprehension. To accept things as they are is not only a sign of wisdom, but also the first, necessary step to changing them. Therefore, acceptance is required for obtaining the right knowledge, knowledge of the right. :A person who accepts others for who they are, and accepts himself, is always accepted in return. Those who make this acceptance a reality are always heard. An accepting person can be heard without raising his voice, and his smallest whisper can be heard by everyone, if he so wants it. This is not a magical compulsion, people will simply stop and listen to what the character has to say, in whatever situation he desires to be heard. :Such a character can also choose to be heard only by a specific person, and is able to talk to them in a crowded room without fear of being overheard. If someone deliberately stops to listen to the conversation, or tries to spy on them by magical means or even lip reading, they will automatically fail, unless this character allows them to hear what he is saying. Tranquility: 15 points :True Tranquility is unshakable. A tranquil person never makes fright checks, and is never affected by penalties due to emotional stress or pressure. They are also immune to any situation which may hinder their intellect (like drinking). :This virtue, unlike unfazeable, does not prevent one from knowing and feeling emotions. Kindness: 20 points :A truly understanding person is never angry, never taken in by rudeness or disrespect. Kindness is the doorway into harmony, it opens up space to happiness, it reveals the souls of others just as a kind person has his soul always open. A kind person always has something good to say. :Being king is making an effort to see the good in everything, without ignoring evil, but understanding its being too small compared to Truth. :This character has a +3 bonus in all his social interaction rolls. He can also see into he souls of others, and in a successful IQ roll, he can grasp a moral weakness of someone he is conversing with. :A kind person also gains a +3 bonus on any attempt to get others to do what he wants. These characters are even able to roll for "fast talk" or "diplomacy" skills in absurd situations, and this virtue allows them to reduce roll penalties in these instances with some 15 minutes of talk. :For instance, let's say that a character with "Kindness" is arrested. He could call for the guard and, after a few minutes of conversation, roll versus his "fast-talk" skill to get the guard to let him go, even if that was nearly impossible to achieve for anyone else. Sincerity: 20 points :Being sincere, first of all to oneself. Not to hide oneself from failures and accepting who we are is the first step of Sincerity. Sincerity is the virtue of being transparent, not fearing that others may know all about you: you have the courage to expose who you are, and to manifest in each moment on the best possible way. Being sincere is not to hide intentions, not to mask desires. It does not mean that the person is naive, one can be very sincere and yet smart, but they don't hide what they feel and want from anyone. :Interestingly enough, a sincere person is the most difficult one to understand. One who is not usually sincere always searches for hidden meanings and fail to see the obvious. Thus, sincerity acts as a true armor that hides the true nature from all but others who are also sincere. :A sincere person is immune to mind readings, or any attempt to discern his true feelings or intentions, unless made by another Kind person. Even mind reading spells or such will fail, because those casting them will unconsciously not want them to succeed. Focus: 30 points :The will to accomplish what we set out to do leads the mind to a higher power, which can not be beaten. Focus is to direct all one's attention, all one's strength, the whole of capacity for one thing alone. A focused person devotes all its energy to what he is doing, whatever it is, and, therefore, makes everything with speed and perfection. :Such a person does not disperse his attention and doesn't allow distractions, ever. If this character takes a turn to focus on anything he is doing, he gains a +1 bonus on all of his skill rolls towards his next immediate goal, until it ends. :This advantage prohibits the disadvantages: Distraction and Curiosity. Silence: 20 points :The word may be silver, but silence is golden. It is better to say nothing than to have nothing to say. Silence is the virtue of cultivating within oneself an unfailing passivity. With Silence, one stands above time and can wait as long as it takes to see his goal fulfilled. Silence focuses will, because showing restraint before the vain willingness to talk is a sign of strength. :Silence is related to keeping quiet about the privacy and wishes of others. Being discreet in actions and thoughts, and preventing yourself from evil or idle talk. :A person who has mastered inner Silence is always reliable. Instinctively, others will open up with her and tell her their inmost secrets. Such a person has a +4 bonus on any attempt to extract information from someone. :Also, Silence gives strength: a person who can quiet himself can automatically resist any attempt at subversion, temptation, bribery, etc.. This also applies to any power or supernatural ability that attempts to move the character in a direction contrary to their wishes. Resistance: 30 points :Resistance is the mother of all other virtues, because it tempers the spirit with the control it needs to clearly see through any illusion. It is not futile: it is, indeed, victorious. A person who can resist those impulses that he feel that are wrong is a person who can be assured to always walk on the right. :Resistance teaches the soul to see through deception and only aim at truth. A character with this virtue is immune to any form of trickery or deception, and always knows when someone is lying to him or trying to take advantage of him. Likewise, this character always knows when he is looking at illusions, magical or otherwise. Achievement: 40 points Requires at least three other virtues. :Achievement is the final Victory. It is the virtue of he who managed to lift his spirit to such heights that nothing in the world is able to challenge him. True achievement is the understanding and conquest of all other virtues, it is the final effort of a lifetime. :True achievement, though, lies not in overcoming others or in controlling conditions, but in conquering oneself. It is victory over all worldly things, over life and death, victory over all previous victories. :Virtuous achievement is gained through self-confidence, and so, every minor victory that came before it was a necessary step towards this goal. Every personal conquest, as high or as low as it may seem, was required to get to this place. :Success is the final prize of achievement. With this virtue, once per game session, and throughout an entire game scene, a character will roll twice for everything that he does, and choose always the best result. Unattachment: 50 points Requires at least five other virtues. :Unnattachment is the final act, the last effort, the repose on the great ocean of Eternity. It is crossing the door which was opened by all other virtues. It is to be perfect, to know everything, to have everything, and yet to give it all away in the name of The One. :Unattachment is victory over the world's ephemerality. It is to own the world, and acknowledge it as being minuscule close to the spirit. It is all the other virtues and more: it is to deliver them all to whoever needs to make use of them. Unattachment is the end of the One Path. A virtuous person may still be filled with Vanity over her own spiritual height, but an unattached person is never vain, because she possesses nothing, she has become empty of the world. :He who gives of himself to others has at his disposal the very inertia of the universe. An unattached person rolls an extra die for all of his actions, and chooses one die to remove from the final roll (including damage). :Also, unattachment grants immunity to Hubris. Category:Kartazia Category:Zumbae